The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 12, March 21, 2004, Article 19

U.S. COIN COUNTERFEITING LAWS

  While web surfing, subscriber Kavan Ratnatunga came
  across a section of the U.S. code dealing with the
  counterfeiting of U.S. and foreign coins. Counterfeiting Laws

  CITE  18 USC Sec. 489
  01/26/98

  PART I - CRIMES
  CHAPTER 25 - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY
  Sec. 489. Making or possessing likeness of coins
  Whoever, within the United States, makes or brings therein
  from any foreign country, or possesses with intent to sell, give
  away, or in any other manner uses the same, except under
  authority of the Secretary of the Treasury or other proper
  officer of the United States, any token, disk, or device in the
  likeness or similitude as to design, color, or the inscription
  thereon of any of the coins of the United States or of any
  foreign country issued as money, either under the authority
  of the United States or under the authority of any foreign
  government shall be fined under this title.
  SOURCE    (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 709; July
  16, 1951, ch. 226, Sec.3, 65 Stat. 122; Sept. 13, 1994,
  Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII..."

  He found some other interesting links:
  http://www.law.emory.edu/6circuit/apr98/98a0108p.06.html
  http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/know_your_money.shtml
  http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/counterfeit.shtml

  [Counterfeiting of paper currency is an everyday occurrence,
  but when was the last time circulating coins were counterfeited?
  Contemporary counterfeits of Bust half dollars are well known,
  and even into the W.W.II era there were counterfeits of
  current coins.  Could any of our readers in the legal profession
  find out the last time anyone was actually prosecuted for passing
  counterfeits of U.S. coins?   Do any of our world readers
  know of examples in their own countries?  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization 
promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor 
at this address: whomren@coinlibrary.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum